Lack of sports hurting Vancouver businesses

As the Grey Cup hopes of BC Lions fans were dashed Sunday, Vancouver businesses are mourning a loss of their own.

For local bars, restaurants and stores that rely on sports-watching fans, this latest football loss is a blow to businesses already suffering from the NHL lockout.

"When you are this close to a stadium, hockey is a big part of your business,” said Roger Gibson from Shark Club, who added bar sales are significantly down.

With no major sport in this city currently in action, more Vancouverites are skipping the bars in favour of keeping their cash.

"It’s saving me a lot of money because I do have season tickets to all three of the teams that we have here, so saving that money for the year is good by me,” one fan said.

Shark Club is working on a creative solution to drum up more business.

"We are creative. Our staff is working well on it, rustling up business wherever we can," Gibson said. “We do private parties, fundraisers, retirement parties and so forth, so that's what we concentrate on."

Restaurants and bars aren’t the only businesses reporting a slump. John Czvelka from Vancity Sports said the past few months have seen a 60 per cent drop in sales.

"This is the sad state of affairs for local sports fans,” Czvelka said, adding that many local sports jerseys are simply not selling right now.

"No [BC] Lions, no Whitecaps and no hockey."

With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Scott Hurst

Photos

The Shark Club is getting creative to make up lost revenue they've missed out on because of the lack of sports in Vancouver this season. Nov. 19. 2012. (CTV)